Battery cable terminal



BATTERY CABLE TERMINAL Filed Maron 1, 1941 Zhwentoms' Patented `lune 9, 1942 UNETED PATENT OFFICE BATTERY CABLE TERMINAL Reinhard P. Wagner and Frank H. Shackelford,

- Spokane, Wash.

3 Claims.

This invention relates to a battery cable terminal and one object of the invention is to provide a device of this character so constructed that while it may be easily applied to a terminal post of a battery, it will not be liable to slip out of engagement with the post. n

Another object of the invention is to provide a terminal consisting of companion members formed with post receiving bores and shiftable transversely of each other in and out of position for gripping a post passing through the bores, spring means being provided for urging the sections to gripping position.

Another object of the invention is'to provide a terminal so formed that the spring which shifts its sections towards gripping position will be held in place and prevented from accidentally slipping out of engagement with the sections.

Another object of the invention is to provide a terminal which is simple in construction, eiiicient in operation, and capable of being manufactured at low cost.

In the accompanying drawing:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a terminal of the improved construction.

Fig. 2 is a view on the line 2 2 of Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a side terminal.

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of another modified form of terminal.

Fig. 6 is a view showing the terminal of Fig. 5 in longitudinal section and the battery post in elevation.

Fig. 'l is a top plan view of the terminal shown in Fig. 5.

The improved terminal illustrated in Figs. l, 2 and 3, has companion sections I and 2 which are formed of strong metal and are curved longitudinally to form clamping jaws 3 and 4 for engaging about the battery post 5 and firmly gripping the same. The heel-ends 6 and 'I of the two sections I and 2 are thickened and formed with flat inner side faces having contacting engagement with each other, as shown in Figs. l and 3, the forward or inner end portions of the heels having their confronting faces formed with opposed recesses to provide a slot B. Outer side faces of the heels are formed with recesses or slots 9 to receive the bent end portions or flanges I 0 of an arcuate spring I I. The spring is formed from a wide strip of resilient metal and when it is expanded and applied to the heels, with its flanges or tongues engaged in the slots or seats elevation of a modified form of I0, its tendency to contract will cause the jaws 3 and 4 to have gripping engagement with a battery post about which they are disposed. The inner arcuate side faces of the jaws are formed with prongs I2 to cause the jaws to firmly grip the post and not slide along the same after the terminal has been applied.

In order to apply the terminal to the post or remove it therefrom, the jaws must be shifted away from each other `and this is accomplished by inserting a screw driver or similar prying tool into the slot 3 and then turning the tool until the two sections I and 2 have been forced away from each other. When the prying tool is removed from the slot, the spring II contracts and urges the'two sections toward-each other to the position of Fig. 1, in which the jaws are constructed about the post and the prongs `or teeth have biting engagement with the post. A socket I3 extends from one section to receive a battery cable preferably soldered into the socket. Ribs or beads I4 are formed in the slots 9 transversely thereof to engage in recesses or notches I5 formed in the flanges I0 and prevent the ilanges from slipping vertically out of the slots.

In Fig. 4, there is illustrated a modified form of terminal. In this embodiment, the two sections I and I1 are disposed one above the other and formed with bores I8 and I9 which are tapered upwardly to accommodate a battery post. The upper section carries a socket 2U in which the conductor wire or cable is to be secured, it being obvious that this socket may be carried by the lower section instead of the upper section, if desired. When this form of terminal is in use, the two sections are to be shifted transversely until their bores are in alinement, the sections being then applied about the battery post and shifted back toward their initial offset relation to each other, in which position the post will be gripped by the Walls of their bores. In order to urge the sections toward offset position, there has been provided a spring 2| formed of resilient wire and having the form of an open ring. This spring ts about the two sections diagonally thereof and is seated in grooves 22 formed in the sections circumferentially thereof and at such an incline that the spring extends diagonally about the terminal when engaged in the grooves. By this arrangement, the spring serves to hold the two sections in close contacting engagement with each other as well as yieldably holding the Y also consists of upper and lower sections 23 and 24 the upper section being provided with a cable receiving socket 25. The bores 26 and 21 taper upwardly to accommodate a tapered battery post 28 and conform to the taper thereof so that the post may be firmly gripped, as shown in Fig. 6. Lugs or arms 29 extend radially from the two sections, one above the other, and each is formed with a slot 30 so that when the U-shaped spring 3| is applied, the flanges or tongues 32 at ends of its arms may engage in the slots and hold the spring in place. The bridge 33 of the spring extends diagonally so that the two sections of the terminal are normally held in offset relation to each other but may be shifted transversely of each other to dispose their bores in alinement for application of the terminal to the post or removal of the terminal from the post. After the terminal has been applied, the sections are released and the spring shifts the sections toward their initial oifset relation to each other and the post will be firmly gripped.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. A device of the character described comprising companion sections for engaging about a battery post, each section being formed at one end with a solid heel portion having a seat formed in its outer side face, a resilient member provided with anchoring portions engaged in the seats of the heel portions and constituting means for urging the sections toward the position for gripping a battery post about which the sections fit, the anchoring portions being formed with recesses, projections in the seats engaging in the recesses and preventing the anchoring portions from slipping out of the seats, and means for connecting one section with a cable.

2. A device of the character described, comprising companion sections for engagement about a battery post, said sections having forward portions curved longitudinally to form jaws for engaging about and gripping the post, rear end portions of the sections being thickened to form heels having confronting inner surfaces in face to face engagement with each other, outer side faces of the heels being formed with transversely extending grooves, a resilient member having arms terminating in inwardly extending portions engaged in said grooves, the resilient member urging the sections to gripping position and normally holding the inner side faces of the heels in face to face engagement with each other, and means for connecting one section with a cable, the confronting inner side faces of the heels having registering recesses forming a slot having side walls and adapted to receive a tool for engaging side walls of the slot and prying the sections away from each other out of gripping position.

3. A device of the character described comprising companion sections defining jaws for engaging about a battery post and having portions constituting heels, the heels having their inner side faces contacting each other, outer faces of the heels being formed with transverse grooves, a spring member having lips for engaging in the grooves, the lips being formed with recesses, rim in the grooves extending transversely thereof and engaged in the recesses of the lips to prevent the lips from slipping out of the grooves, and means for connecting one section with a cable.

REINHARD P. WAGNER. FRANK H. SHACKELFORD. 

